Reds at Marlins
A pair of familiar faces have been flexing their muscles for the Cincinnati Reds, with Eugenio Suarez going deep in four consecutive contests and rookie Aristides Aquino routinely scribbling his name in the major league record books. The Reds aim to continue their power display on Thursday as they vie for a season sweep of the Marlins in Miami.
Suarez boosted his career-best home run total to a team-leading 38 with a solo shot in Wednesday's 5-0 win, improving to 13-for-24 with five homers in the season series against the Marlins. Aquino became the first player in the modern era to reach 13 homers in 100 career plate appearances with a three-run blast on Wednesday, giving him 29 hits, 29 RBIs and 20 runs scored in August. Cincinnati has battered Miami to the tune of outscoring the cellar-dwelling club by a 40-9 margin en route to winning all six meetings this season. The Marlins, who have lost 22 of their last 28 games, have been shut out on 19 occasions this season -- including three times by the Reds.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), FS Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds LH Alex Wood (1-3, 6.07 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Robert Dugger (0-1, 10.80)
Wood lost his third straight start in Saturday's 14-0 shellacking at Pittsburgh after allowing five runs (four earned) in his second consecutive trip to the mound. The 28-year-old's likely lone mental victory in the lopsided loss was keeping the ball in the park in his first outing this season after surrendering eight homers in his previous five. Starlin Castro (5-for-10) has flustered Wood, but the hurler sports a 6-4 mark with a 2.63 ERA in 14 career appearances (11 starts) against the Marlins.
Dugger has been summoned from Triple-A New Orleans to replace fellow rookie right-hander Jordan Yamamoto, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right forearm strain. The 24-year-old Dugger struggled in his major league debut earlier this month, allowing six earned runs on five hits and four walks in five innings of a 6-2 loss to the New York Mets. "It's good being back," Dugger said, per the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "This time I get to get acclimated and all that. It's still nerve-wracking for sure, but I'm excited to be here."
WALK-OFFS
1. Miami 1B Neil Walker has hit safely in seven of his last eight games.
2. Fast starts have been the norm throughout the season for the Reds, who have outscored the Marlins by a 5-0 margin in the first inning of the last two contests.
3. Miami RF Garrett Cooper has hit safely in all three games of the series after going 1-for-13 in his previous five.